April 08, 2016

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi honored three groups whose support has made the engineering program a success during the Friends of Engineering Awards Luncheon on Thursday, April 7, in the University Center.

Honorees this year are:

Corpus Christi Business and Job Development Corporation

Citgo Petroleum Corporation

Gail and Derwood Anderson of AG-CM, Inc., a professional construction management company.

The University has more than 400 students enrolled in its engineering program, which started in 2009 with mechanical engineering. The first class of students pursuing an electrical engineering degree started this fall, and civil and industrial engineering programs are in the works.

Dr. Flavius Killebrew, President and CEO of A&M-Corpus Christi, provided an update on several engineering initiatives, including those at the Lone Star Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center of Excellence and Innovation, one of only six federally designated test sites.

“Unmanned aircraft is just one part of the unmanned or autonomous systems research happening in our engineering department,” he said. “Professors are designing robot legs, working with students to adapt lawnmowers that mow by themselves, and developing rovers propelled through the water with wings…Projects like these are building future engineers and giving them hands-on experience. And that’s the mission of A&M-Corpus Christi’s engineering program.”

Representing the Business and Job Development Corporation, Dr. Bryan Gulley said the group supports many programs citywide and, specifically at the University, has supported mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and the unmanned aircraft systems effort.

“A lot of what the corporation does is to prepare people for jobs and that ultimately leads to economic development,” he said. “We hope we can continue to do what we’ve done to support the University.”

The Friends of Engineering Award at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi honors the outstanding achievements of supporters for the School of Engineering and Computing Sciences. Honorees are chosen for their significant impact on the development and continued excellence of the facilities, faculty and students.